behind the plates

the ultimate food lover voyage to the heart of a culture.

The Palatum is a traveling collective of epicureans savoring culinary cuisine across the globe.

The Epicurean Experts

The gastronomic forward thinkers that are preserving local food culture while artfully advancing culinary traditions of the past into the future, our robust community of epicurean experts will season your expedition with the fine flavors of firsthand knowledge. Our fearless food adventurers can look forward to meeting such experts as:

From the World’s 50 best chefs to nonnas with generations of know how
Artisan Food Producers & Organic Farmers
Local Culinary Experts
Regional Food Historians
100 Point Winemakers
Multi-Generational Vintners
Sommeliers & Oenologists
Craft Distillers

meet dejou & marco

With a combined thirty years of expertise in the culinary travel space, husband and wife founders Marco and Dejou Marano have created the Palatum, born from their personal passion for gastronomy and deep cultural connections. Sharing their time between residences in California, Italy and Spain, the Maranos have cultivated a rich understanding of European and US food culture at the hyperlocal level, while forging close relationships with tastemakers, food experts and artisans to create the finest expression of culinary travel for Palatum community. Like the perfect dinner party, the Palatum is rooted in the communal experience of exchanging ideas over a shared meal, and the power of appreciating a culture through its cuisine alongside fellow culinary enthusiasts.

The Maranos are founders of leading experiential travel company, CountryBred, which has been featured in publications such as Food & Wine Magazine, Travel + Leisure, and Departures. Marco and Dejou have also been featured as culinary travel experts in the Chicago Tribune, ASTANetwork Magazine, and Endless Vacation Magazine. Both Marco and Dejou hold the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) designation, awarded by the Society of Wine Educators, are proud members of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the Forbes Business Council and Fast Company Executive Board.. When not traveling the globe unearthing epicurean treasures and discovering new restaurants, they are avid cooks, gardeners, and enjoy adding to their diverse wine collection.